Dark Crimes
by Sailor Elf
Summary: It's now known that Torn, his brother and parents made up the murderous Clan of Invisibility. This is their story.
1. Whispers in the Dark

Disclaimer – Torn doesn't belong to me, nor does Damas, Baron Praxis, Erol or anyone else recognizable from the game series. Anyone that's not familiar is mine though.

Summary – It's now known that Torn, his brother and parents made up the murderous Clan of Invisibility. This is their story.

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Dark Crimes

Footsteps filled the cold, empty street.

Shadows danced along the walls from the little illumination there was from the lights. The man walking along the road had his nose stuck in the newspaper and he groaned with what the reporters thought was important news to tell.

"The Clan of Invisibility. Puh! I don't know where anyone gets these ideas from. The Clan has never existed! Just some stupid story to make a person afraid of the dark. I've never been scared of the dark," the man smirked.

Rolling up the newspaper, he shoved it underneath his arm. Whistling escaped his lips as he absently passed an alleyway. Out of nowhere, he felt himself being pulled into the darkness.

"Wha…?" he started.

He never had the chance to finish before he found a hand sitting over his mouth, preventing any cry for help from escaping his lips. He tried to free himself from his abductor's grasp as he was pulled into the nearby alley.

No one could hear him scream.

00000

Perched in his vantage point within the tree, Torn carefully eyed the people milling around him. A smile crept onto his face as he thought about how good the wind felt as it breezed by. He laid down against the tree, giving a deep sigh.

"Torn, will you get out of there?" a voice yelled at him from below him.

He cracked open an eye to find his older brother standing at the base of the tree, his arms crossed and a smirk written across his face. He gave a sigh before nimbly leaping down in a single bound, the older brother watching his every movement.

"You never miss a chance to show off, do you? You're lucky you're considered athletic, otherwise too many questions would arise," Tryce told him.

"And you should be lucky you're considered strong for the same reason," Torn retorted.

Torn began to walk away from his brother until an arm stopped him. Tryce held a stern look upon his face, his eyes continually glancing to the people that moved around them.

"Remember that they know nothing. To some, we are nothing but a legend while to others, we are as real as the tree you were just sitting in. Don't you ever forget who you are," Tryce told him.

Torn shoved his brother's arm away, a sneer crossing his mouth.

"You don't need to remind me Tryce. I'm not a young child anymore, needing to be led around by my mother. I'm not planning to leave behind the person our parents trained me to be," Torn reminded him.

The younger brother stormed away with his mind in a foul mood. The good feeling he had just a few minutes earlier had all but disappeared. In truth, he was glad he was able to have even such a short time with the feeling. After all, the life his parents were preparing him for was inconceivable to most people.

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"There was another disappearance last night. Whoever is behind these, they certainly are consistent," Damas mused.

He stood over a map of the city, with Praxis standing beside him. Both of them mused over the areas where the attacks took place before Praxis decided to speak his mind.

"I still say we should find these perpetrators and kill them all!" he snarled.

"Calm down Praxis. We will bring them to justice, I assure you, we just need to find them first. I do not wish to resort to drastic measures unless we absolutely have to. Just try not to take matters into your own hands if you happen to find a lead. I'd rather not shed the blood of an innocent," Damas sternly told him.

Praxis barely managed to stifle a growl before giving a nod. Damas carefully eyed him as he left the room, passing by Erol along the way. The young elf stepped up to Praxis, his arms crossed and a snicker on his face.

"So how did it go?" Erol finally asked.

"The Clan has made yet another move for there's been another disappearance. They're becoming a bit bolder as of late, despite their low numbers. Sooner or later, they're going to slip up. I can feel it. Then this city will be ours," Praxis replied.

Erol carefully eyed him, wondering what Damas had said about the recent uprising of disappearances and killings. All he knew, is that Praxis wasn't happy about it at all.

"And what exactly did Damas say about the situation?" he wondered.

A growl began to emit from the mouth of Praxis, making a knot bunch up a bit in Erol's stomach.

"We have to wait because these people have no idea what goes on underneath their very noses. They are completely unaware of the things we do. If it were up to me, I'd go right to their house and burn it to the ground," snarled Praxis.

Erol nodded in agreement as he prepared to leave the room. At the door, he took one last look towards Praxis.

"What shall I tell the others? They're starting to get jumpy and would like nothing more than to work on another plan. They're eager to face the Clan again," Erol wondered.

"Tell them it will be very soon. Veger can begin on another plan of attack and I want him to give it to me within the day," Praxis called over to him before slamming his hands on the table. "And by the way, remind Rand that if he should improvise like what he did last time, I will personally have his head served on a platter!"

Erol quickly nodded before he made quick retreat, leaving behind a scheming Praxis, the ideas running though his head.

"If you only knew what went on behind closed doors, Damas. You would not have allowed any of us anywhere near you had you known what we're capable of doing. The Group of 9 shall prevail and lead over this city, like what they have been destined to do for centuries," he muttered.

TBC…


	2. Secret Meetings

Torn burst through the door, flinging his backpack on the floor almost immediately and ran for his room. Alleena carefully listened to his every move from the kitchen. She calmly set down the plate she was washing and gently made her way after her son. She arrived in the doorway and leaned against its frame, watching her younger son as he sat in a melancholy mood on his bed, his back to her.

"Torn, has your brother said something to you again?" she tenderly asked him.

When Torn didn't immediately reply, she stepped over to his bed and sat down next to him. Torn turned his attention away from his mother as she carefully placed a hand on his back.

"You know you shouldn't allow your brother to get the upper hand. If all of us were ever on a mission together, none of us can afford to make a mistake. It could result in our capture or even worse," she quietly explained.

"Mother, I know that but Tryce never stops and he won't listen to anybody but you and Father. He's always putting me down, making me angry. I've even tried making friends at school but I find Tryce is continually hovering over my shoulder, warning me of the dangers of bringing 'outsiders' into my life," Torn quietly replied.

Alleena couldn't help but give a sad smile. She soon climbed to her feet and made her way to the door. Holding onto the frame for one last moment, she stole one last glance of her son.

"Torn, to an extent your brother is right about being careful who you become friends with but on the same token, he shouldn't be ruling your life," she called over to him. "By the way, supper is almost ready and don't forget we're attending Damas' speech this evening."

Torn listened to her silent footsteps as she headed back to the kitchen. He thought about her words as he rested his chin on the pillow. It took him a few moments before he climbed off the bed and ventured into the kitchen.

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Praxis stepped up to the table, which held eight others. He stole a quick glance with Erol, who sat by his right before returning his attention back to the others.

"Listen up people. The Clan has made another attack. They've become more bold as of late. Damas honestly believes that he and his men will find the perpetrators of not only this crime and the many other 'unsolved' murders which occurred in the last several years. At least the ones that have been attributed to the Clan. He wants the public to feel safer by bringing them to justice," Praxis told them.

"They'll never find the Clan of Invisibility for nobody has ever found them, even after centuries of lurking within the shadows. We've been the only ones who know exactly who they are and where to find them," Anthar snickered.

Rand gave a small laugh as he turned to his comrade. Placing a hand on Anthar's shoulder, Rand climbed out of his chair to face Praxis.

"Despite their known tactics, they have gotten in our way for far too long. We should go after them and take them all out at once so we can take this city for ourselves!" he snarled.

Rand received a hard stare, accompanied with growling but he stood his ground. Praxis finally slammed his hands on the table.

"Do you take me for a fool, Rand? It'd be extremely risky to take out the most prominent family in Haven City in one shot! People would ask too many questions! Especially if there were any witnesses! If we did anything, we'd have to make their deaths look like an accident," Praxis roared.

Rand shot him an angry look as he reluctantly sat back down in his seat. Praxis eyed each and every one of his men. Moten gulped for he thought that any one of them would be dead purely with the look on the leader's face. He turned his attention to Jinx, who appeared to be slightly worried. It was Razer who climbed to his feet, a question obviously on his lips.

"And how exactly do you propose we dispose of the Clan, hmmm?" Razer piped up.

Praxis turned his attention to Veger and everyone followed suit. The elf carefully stood, a folder sitting within his hands.

"You all know who the members of the Clan of Invisibility are and what they do during the daytime. What we need to do is find their weaknesses and exploit them. In the right circumstances, it is possible we could just confront them and silently take care of them one at a time. No one will know any better. If that should fail, we might have to consider Rand's proposal," Veger told them.

The group glanced between each other as Jinx laughed to himself. He pulled out a cigar and lit it.

"Listen, Veger. We have always been on the tongues of these people but our presence has never been as well known as the Clan. Who's to say that people will know that we took 'em out? They could very well blame the Clan!" Jinx protested.

Veger huffed as Cargo snatched the Cigar from Jinx's mouth, extinguishing it by jamming it into the table.

"They'll know because we'll let them know," Cargo stated. "We make our presence confirmed, just like the Clan did."

Jinx gave a deep sigh as he scanned the others. The explosives expert wasn't certain about everything but decided to keep quiet and see how things would progress along.

"Now if you'll excuse me. I have a conference to attend. Damas wants to address the 'public safety' that I mentioned earlier to the people. Little does he know of the deception behind his own doors," Praxis finally told them.

He gave them a nod as he made his way to the door. The others rose to their feet and began to head for the door as well. It took a moment for Erol to realize that Jinx had remained in his seat and stepped over to him.

"You have some apprehension?" questioned Erol.

"How can you tell?" Jinx wondered.

Erol hesitated for a moment, a smirk sitting on his face before lunging for the elf. Grasping his collar and lifting him out of them chair, Erol was now only a few inches from Jinx's face.

"Listen and listen carefully Jinx! If you even _think _about warning Torn and Tryce about what we're planning to do, I will personally slit your throat. Just be glad you weren't thrown out of this group completely when we found out you were friends with those two," Erol snarled at him.

"Gotcha," Jinx choked out.

Erol released him and dusted off his shirt before storming out of the room. Jinx noticed the glare Erol gave him as he walked out the door. Rubbing the back of his neck, his mind drifted to the two younger members of the Clan of Invisibility.

"I'm caught at a crossroads between the two friends I've ever really had and the trust that is expected of me from being in this group," he muttered.

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Torn looked at himself in the mirror and sighed. Something was nagging at the back of his mind, even as he prepared himself for the evening's events. He wasn't eager in attending such an event but both of his parents insisted, saying that the opinions they were about to hear they would have to become accustomed to hearing and they would have to remember to stifle their thoughts.

"Torn, are you ready to go?" Tharan called up to him.

"Coming!" Torn called back.

The elf took one last look in the mirror before running down the stairs to be greeted by his father, who crossed his arms.

"I'm glad to see you ready on time tonight," Tharan told him.

"Not that I have a choice in attending this farce tonight," Torn replied.

"Unfortunately, I happen to know that one of the topics being discussed tonight is us. Damas wants to assure the people they are going to be safe. With our reputation and the assignment your brother recently had, it's not going to be easy. Not only that, word of the Group is becoming public knowledge and things are going to spiral downward very quickly once they are confirmed," Tharan explained. "Now come on, let's find your brother and mother and get going. This meeting isn't going to wait forever."

He reached out an arm towards his younger son, who cautiously stepped past him to the front door. Tharan carefully watched his every inaudible move and gave a small sigh.

'_He has to learn sooner or later,' _he thought.

TBC…


	3. Decisions

The quartet walked into the room to find it filled with people. The noise level was almost deafening to their ears as they found four chairs together near the front. Damas stood upon the stage before them, with Praxis and Erol standing behind him. The duo took notice of their arrival but didn't make a scene, knowing they were being closely watched by the others.

Damas watched at the last of the people as they made their way to the final few seats. In fact, there were several people standing at the back and sides of the room. Scanning the crowd, he recognized several of the faces. Most notably, were Tharan and his entire family. He knew them and inwardly wondered why they would be interested in something like this.

"Citizens of Haven City, as you all know there have been some troubling attacks lately…" he started.

"And why aren't you doing something about it?" someone yelled from the back.

Damas gave a deep sigh, staring in the direction the voice came from. A lot of the faces were focused on him, waiting for his response.

"We are currently formulating a plan to lower the current crime rate. We believe that most of the attacks which have lately occurred are being committed by none other than the Clan of Invisibility," Damas explained.

Murmurs soared through the crowd with the name. From his seat, Torn could hear the various derogatory comments of the people with his enhanced hearing.

"They should be run out of town!" yelled someone.

"It's a wonder they haven't been found yet and prosecuted! Shows how lazy the Guard really is in the end!" came someone else.

A bit of an uproar began to rise as Damas tried to calm the crowd down. Praxis almost smiled at the futile attempts of the leader to bring peace and order to this small band.

"Please listen to me. Believe me when I say that if we could find them, we would prosecute them. The hardest part is that they leave no evidence or witnesses behind, hence their moniker. If we only had some sort of lead, then we would certainly bring them to justice," Damas told them.

"Do they even exist? Or are they just stories to keep us scared at night?" cried another.

Damas inwardly sighed as he gazed over the people sitting in the seats. Several were upset and he wished he could reassure them that everything was going to be fine. Praxis laughed to himself as he scanned the crowd.

Tharan could tell the crowd wasn't pleased in the slightest. Inwardly, he was smiling for their years of training was paying off in the end.

'_We made every last one of them proud. Too bad there wasn't a few more of us, like what there was in the past,' _he thought.

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After the meeting was over, Damas stepped off the podium and into the crowd. Carefully, he walked up to the family of four. Tharan was the first to take notice and extended his arm to shake the leader's.

"Damas, it was a pleasure to hear what you had to say," Tharan said.

"And it is good to see you. I don't come across you that often in my office but I hear nothing but great things about you. These must be your boys I've heard so much about," Damas mused.

"They have their moments. Damas, these two fine young men are Torn and Tryce," their father introduced.

Torn straightened up his back once he heard his name. He gave a small smile as he held out his hand to the leader of Haven City. Damas quickly accepted the offer and he carefully watched the younger man. Tryce gave an inaudible snicker from behind them and Torn glanced at him out of the corner of his eye as he heard the laugh. He could almost hear what his older brother was saying.

'_Stop trying to impress him, Torn. You know what he's going to do if they ever caught us. They are scared of us and they have every right to be for we are _meant _to be feared.' _

A question from Damas broke him out of his reverie. and almost didn't catch the question.

"I am sorry, what was that again?" Torn asked.

"I was wondering what brought you here. I didn't think a discussion of the Clan would interest a family like yours," Damas questioned.

"We are as any other citizen, Damas. We are simply worried about our safety. We were interested to hear what plans you might have had to stop them," Tharan calmly replied with a smile.

Damas looked over the family, uncertain what to say next.

"I can't really go into details what we're planning to do but I will tell you that they will be dealt with harshly. They've been terrorizing our fair city for far too long. They're so good, sometimes I think we're chasing ghosts," Damas replied.

After a few more minutes of talking to Damas, Tharan quickly led his family out the door and down the street. The father and husband appeared to be deep in thought and Alleena was becoming exceptionally worried about him.

"Tharan…" she started.

"Later Alleena, after we get to the house," he quietly told her.

She gave a nod of the head as they quickly headed back home. As soon as they walked through the door, Tharan turned to his sons.

"Boys, why don't you start making dinner? I have to talk to your mother for a few minutes," Tharan sternly told them.

Both Torn and Tryce gulped at their father's tone as they scurried into the kitchen, leaving behind their parents to talk in private. Tharan led his wife down to the basement, allowing the boys to do their work. As soon as they were out of earshot, Tryce turned to his younger brother.

"What'd you do this time, Torn?" he asked.

"Me? What about you? You've made your mistakes too, you know," Torn protested.

"Yeah, but I'm not the screw-up like you are," Tryce replied.

Without another word, the older brother reached for the cupboards and began to pull out some food. Torn carefully watched for a moment, giving a deep sigh before joining him.

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"Tharan, what's wrong? I've never seen you quite like this," Alleena asked him.

She watched him as he paced the room, a hand sitting on his chin. He appeared to be deep in thought about something. After a few tense moments, he finally turned to his wife and gave a sigh. Placing his hands on her shoulders and caressing them, he gave her a warm smile.

"We still have to give our boys a test, right?" he finally asked.

"Y-yes, we do. W-what is this all about? Did Damas say anything to make you worry about something?" she replied.

"It's nothing like that, believe me but you heard the crowds today. They're unhappy with us and the government. You know nothing can come of us but what if we do something about the government?" he posed.

Alleena's eyes widened, absolutely stunned at the suggestion.

"Do you know what you're suggesting? If we do anything to Damas, either Praxis or Veger could come into power, which is a bad situation. Besides, despite what a few said earlier, many more love Damas as leader," she demanded.

"Veger and Praxis can't do anything to us without risking their own safety and you know that. I know Damas is quite loved by the people but I thought we should give them a lesson. Some still don't believe in us and what better way to send a message than to attack their precious leader? The people wouldn't help but believe we exist then," he asked her.

She began to open her mouth to protest but nothing came out as she contemplated her husband's words. He watched and waited for her answer.

"I'll consider it but just remember that that if we do indeed decide to take on Damas, our training will have to undoubtedly increase and extra planning will have to be dealt with," she told him.

"I'll let you consider the offer but I fear he could come close to finding out the truth about us and I can't let that happen," he mused.

She gave the slightest of nods as he began to caress her cheek. Alleena embraced her husband and Tharan returned the gesture.

"You and the boys mean everything to me. The four of us have a perfect life in our secret little world," he quietly said.

"I don't either and if we indeed make Damas our next target, it'll be the riskiest move we've ever done in the history of the Clan. We'll talk about it later on now let's go help the boys get supper ready," she replied.

She left Tharan's side and headed back to the kitchen. He remained one last moment before following her.

TBC...


End file.
